And so ladies, the end is here – Tuesday was the last day of the catwalk collections of womenswear from London Fashion Week (I can sense your sadness – you just lost one way to procrastinate, I know I sure did). The trends have been set, the collections and designers critiqued from every angle and all that is left is to look to A/W 12/13 with excitement as we see what will be being paraded down Longbrook Street at the start of next academic year – from gothic McQ to Renaissance inspired Temperly London, it’s safe to say we are in for a treat this coming winter.
But what of Tuesday’s shows? My final day of fashion-week related procrastination (fear not, I will inevitably find something else to help me procrastinate) saw some of the big names such as Anya Hindmarch coming down the catwalk and a really exciting collaboration between Bally and Central Saint Martins. A wonderful day to round of a really, really exciting week of fashion! So here goes – for the last time this year, a round off of yesterday’s highlights, enjoy!
Pick of the day: Anna Hindmarch (we haven’t had any accessories picks this week – so let’s mix it up a bit!) – a truly British designer who has brought out yet another incredible collection: it makes me a little bit too jealous.
Everything glittered and sparkled – call me a magpie but – mmmm pretty… These clutch bags on the left seem so simple, but sometimes that’s all that an eveningwear outfit needs. If the dress is as striking as some of the ones that have been down the catwalk this week then there is absolutely no need to have accessories that are just as showy – sometimes a simple piece is much better than another statement piece. This is the kind of thing you would grab on your way out as you inevitably had forgotten that you might actually need to take money, phone, keys and other completely vital rubbish with you… In complete contrast to the bags before, this evening bag is a statement! Picture this one: winter ball 2012, sleek black dress, figure hugging in all the right places until it falls straight from your hips and hits the floor.
Your hair is perfect and your make up is just enough to suggest a flawless complexion but nowhere near over the top: and then on your wrist is this statement clutch – almost diamond shaped and sparkling, small enough to take only your lipstick, keys and phone. Amazing: don’t really think I need to say anymore. This bag would complete your winter’s outfit. (Dammit, think I might just have talked myself into spending yet more of my overdraft…uhohh….Damn you student loan!)
What’s trending so far? Roksanda Illincic showed an incredible collection on Tuesday – the definition of simple but striking. Here you can see a fairly simple blouse – navy blue, t simple collar with a little bit of a ruffle. But the skirt is something else. Whilst I can’t quite see it being paraded into a 9am lecture in Peter Chalk (though I’m sure I can imagine someone trying…) there is certainly something to be said about this one. The pattern on the skirt would be quite enough: a mix of blues to rival most seas makes this one a very striking piece, but the fur detail at the bottom hem line is something else. I love it – what a piece!
My final trend: statement but simplistic – and this designer has this one down to a very fine art (jealous…I’ve been trying for too many years). What at first seems to be a simple, long, blue, evening gown, in fact could not be further from the truth. The back of this gown is electric blue, as you can guess from the flash at the side of the photo – and even better, it is a deep, deep plunge back (I do enjoy a low back…what can I say, if you can’t show it at the front, show it at the back!). A truly incredible piece – I can’t imagine anything that is more striking and eye popping, but there is nothing gaudy about it: it is a simple, block colour, straight up-and-down evening dress in a not too eccentric colour. Winter chic is simple? Suuure….excuse me whilst I spend DAYS trying to recreate something so effortless…
Fashion week: a week for all us fashion groupies to procrastinate our days away, to watch endless catwalk shows, to “oooh” and “aaah” at everything from handbags to military jackets. For fashion gurus to debate whether Renaissance or tweed is better, to decide whether an evening gown should be a flashy affair full of accessories and gold beaded detail, or as simple as a block colour gown. But you know what girls: fashion is what you make it, and what you want it to be. Longbrook Street, Pennsylvania Road and even that God-awful hill up to Peter Chalk at 8.45 whilst rushing to your 9AMFriday lecture are your catwalks – you don’t need to be a size 0 model in LFW to have a parade ground. I have tried to guide you through some of what I think are the most exciting trends for this coming A/W – and I tell you, I have enjoyed every photograph, every catwalk video – it’s mesmerising. So my advice to you for A/W 12/13 is this: staple pieces in tweed, lace and block colours will serve you well. Bring back the trench. BUT, make sure you have a couple of statement pieces in there to mix it – a military jacket and a few bold colours and patterns and you are sorted. Enjoy this one girls – it is set to be an amazing season!
All images from www.londonfashionweek.co.uk